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TR Snowbird and Alta - Jan 2020

Yamaste

Certified Ski Diva
Day 1 - Snowbird

Visibility was quite poor up top and we decided not to drop into Mineral Basin. Couldn’t see anything at all for most of trails under Little Cloud but it started clearing up as you get closer to the bottom of that lift. Lovely snow even if a bit chopped up. Ultimately just decided to stay lower where it was clear and lap Gadzoom and Gad 2. I’ve never been to Snowbird prior to switching to skis so I never really noticed the flats on the blue runs much. However this time I came with a whole group of snowboarders and they HATED this mountain and the random uphills and constant flat stretches no matter what trail we took. It was the worst the first time we went on any particular trial since I didn’t know which spots to warn them. Even on repeats, some people made it through but others didn’t. It was very frustrating for them and I felt terrible since I was the one who asked them to come on this trip with me.

Day 2 - My snowboarder friends gave it another valiant try but officially labeled Snowbird the worst mountain they’ve been to. (Our group consensus on favorite mountain was Whistler b/c it has plentiful ski in/out lodgings, lots of good restaurants, well developed village to shop in, and large enough terrain to entertain people for a weeklong trip). Personally Snowbird is okay for me. I prefer Alta next door but Snowbird is just fine for a couple days. However, I didn’t get stuck on flats and have to strap in and out multiple times, so I understand their frustration. They didn’t like Park City much the last time but they said it was preferable since the flats were fewer and shorter. They all kept wishing they had just returned to Breck or Mammoth which were more snowboard friendly. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to convince them to come to SLC again. If any of you want to take snowboarders here, make sure to let them know at which points they need to keep their speed up. In terms of long, annoying flats, I still think Big Sky has some of the worst I’ve personally experienced. I remember many of the trails as they near the bottom and merge back got the lifts have super long flats. Having a mixed skier/snowboarder group especially with varying abilities means I will have to be more strategic about mountain choice next time.

Day 3 - Snowbird for some, Alta for me - Some of the snowboarders returned to Snowbird but most just let their pre purchased tickets expire without using the days. They didn’t consider it worth the effort even if they already paid for it since they didn’t enjoy the mountain.

It snowed about a foot between 11:30 and 4 yesterday at Alta. I started the day late but was able to get an amazing afternoon in. They even kept Collins open until 4:45 so I was able to grab one of the last chairs and ski till 5! The lift up to the gates wasn’t open so I couldn’t go to Snowbird to meet up with my group at end of day but it’s actually better I didn’t.

The road was closed from 3:15 until about 5:20. Luckily I got in a bus a couple minutes before the roads opened ... just to sit in traffic for over 2 hours. Didn’t make it back to the cottonwood heights stop until ~7:45. Our normal drive time other days was about 16-18 minutes. But overall I was lucky, I know people waited outside in the cold at Snowbird Center for hours waiting for a bus to pick them up. Our bus didn’t even pick up anyone from snowbird center or Creekside on the way down because apparently there was a bus that got stuck at Snowbird Center parking lot for a while.

Thankful we made it down. I would have willingly gotten on ANY bus route as long as it got me off the mountain. We inquired about room rates in case we were stuck. About 600/night for the cheapest room.

Day 4 - Attempted Alta but road closed

This morning I tried going up again but they closed the road after an avalanche caused one car to go off road. They got another foot plus over night for about 25 inches total. And after closing roads from 8 pm last night to 8 this morning for avalanche control, these things can still happen.

This is from the Utah DOT

4CAC8042-7FF9-4528-A92C-A09AA2C68954.jpeg

Glad to hear they were okay.

This is my first time using the UTA buses and and I highly recommend them. Prompt (when the roads weren’t closed) and you can pay with the phone app if you (like me) don’t ever carry cash. Alternatively, you can pay with a preloaded card or cash. It’s 4.50 per person for a one way fare. There is no roundtrip discount.

Sadly, I’ll be headed home tmr. I really wanted to try the afternoon off trail workshop ... there’s always next season. I was actually debating whether or not I would be a good fit for it since I’m not sure if I’m an “advanced.” I don’t want to hold back the group but I usually don’t have anyone who skis with me who’s as eager to explore new blacks or aifjrlh off trail so I would like to have a guide take me places and show me how to do it safely and let me know how to adjust technique for such conditions.

Still I had a really fun powder day on day 3 even if it was on blues and easier blacks. I think this time I just accepted being bounced around a little when it was cruddy (which was most of the time) and leaned into it, enjoyed getting some speed on easier terrain, and enjoyed the the fluffy, cloudy goodness on ungroomed trails. So despite feeling bad for my friends who didn’t enjoy the trip as much, a good couple days.

This experience also makes me want to get slopeside or base lodgings next time to avoid the road closure issues. Any recommendations for affordable places to look would be appreciated.
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've actually been dreading the planned trip to the area first week of February due to everything I have read about it this season. My DH and I are not staying up at Alta or Snowbird. We had hoped to visit both and possibly Powder Mountain ( not concerned about that destination ). I'd rather be skiing than sitting in skier traffic for over an hour only to discover that it was all in vain.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I've actually been dreading the planned trip to the area first week of February due to everything I have read about it this season. My DH and I are not staying up at Alta or Snowbird. We had hoped to visit both and possibly Powder Mountain ( not concerned about that destination ). I'd rather be skiing than sitting in skier traffic for over an hour only to discover that it was all in vain.
Staying in SLC means you have options on a given morning.

Keep in mind that PowMow limits no only the number of season passes but also the number of day tickets. On a deep powder day when there are road issues, they could sell out. So worth making a decision and purchasing online before starting to make the drive. Have you been on the PowMow access road? It's a bit of an adventure with snow. But can catch the bus from the Eden Park&Ride.

It's nothing new that during a strong storm cycle that getting up LCC is tricky. Die hard local powder hounds get up at 4am and drive up before a 6am road closure. They are prepared to bed down on a floor somewhere if getting down the road becomes an issue. I'm not ever to likely join them but have been reading the stories for a couple decades.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Sadly, I’ll be headed home tmr. I really wanted to try the afternoon off trail workshop ... there’s always next season. I was actually debating whether or not I would be a good fit for it since I’m not sure if I’m an “advanced.” I don’t want to hold back the group but I usually don’t have anyone who skis with me who’s as eager to explore new blacks or aifjrlh off trail so I would like to have a guide take me places and show me how to do it safely and let me know how to adjust technique for such conditions.

Still I had a really fun powder day on day 3 even if it was on blues and easier blacks. I think this time I just accepted being bounced around a little when it was cruddy (which was most of the time) and leaned into it, enjoyed getting some speed on easier terrain, and enjoyed the the fluffy, cloudy goodness on ungroomed trails. So despite feeling bad for my friends who didn’t enjoy the trip as much, a good couple days.

This experience also makes me want to get slopeside or base lodgings next time to avoid the road closure issues. Any recommendations for affordable places to look would be appreciated.
Thanks for the TR!

The Adult Mountain Workshop is split into 2-3 groups based on a short ski off right outside Watson's. I think you'd be fine.

When I did the Mountain Workshop I was just starting to ski off-piste. It was my first day after flying to SLC. The group was a mix of locals and travelers, including a young woman from Australia who took a bus over from Park City. We learned about neat short shots off Collins and Sugarloaf. I still go to them when skiing solo when there is powder to be found in the trees if you know where to look. That afternoon I quit at 4:00 because I was too tried to last until 4:30. My ski buddy Jason was in the middle group. He skied off the High T with no visibility and had a good time. He was low advanced who hadn't taken any lessons as an advanced skier.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
The road was closed from 3:15 until about 5:20. Luckily I got in a bus a couple minutes before the roads opened ... just to sit in traffic for over 2 hours. Didn’t make it back to the cottonwood heights stop until ~7:45. Our normal drive time other days was about 16-18 minutes. But overall I was lucky, I know people waited outside in the cold at Snowbird Center for hours waiting for a bus to pick them up. Our bus didn’t even pick up anyone from snowbird center or Creekside on the way down because apparently there was a bus that got stuck at Snowbird Center parking lot for a while.
Wow! Definitely lucky you got on a bus.

During a spring storm, there the Wildcat access road was blocked for a little while right before the lifts opened because there were three buses headed down at the same time. The first had stopped, so had the other two. All were unloading people. Then the second started sliding sideways towards the first bus. Luckily the last couple people got off and out of the way. It was a slow slide. No damage but those two buses were clearly stuck at that point. Don't know how long it took to move the buses. My friends and I headed up Collins and over to the other side.
 

badger

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@marzNC , What is the best site to read about the road closures before making a decision about the LCC?

We have a Susbaru Forester with snow tires that should do okay on the Powder Mountain descent. It is indeed a very nasty hill to navigate coming down from the resort! I have not been to Powder for several years and would like to see it again if possible.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
@marzNC , What is the best site to read about the road closures before making a decision about the LCC?

We have a Susbaru Forester with snow tires that should do okay on the Powder Mountain descent. It is indeed a very nasty hill to navigate coming down from the resort! I have not been to Powder for several years and would like to see it again if possible.
There are links on the Alta conditions webpage. There may also be Twitter and Instagram accounts these days. It's been several years since I've stayed in SLC to ski LCC/BCC. Social media use by DOT and ski resorts has evolved rapidly in the last 4-5 years.

Screen Shot 2020-01-13 at 9.01.40 AM.png
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
We have a Susbaru Forester with snow tires that should do okay on the Powder Mountain descent. It is indeed a very nasty hill to navigate coming down from the resort! I have not been to Powder for several years and would like to see it again if possible.
I would love to get a chance to ski PowMow a day or two after a powder storm. Haven't been lucky yet. Got skunked twice during mid-season trips and missed a powder storm once by a couple days. It's become one of Bill's favorite places to ski around SLC. He spent a couple days skiing there solo last winter after I flew home from SLC at the end of our Big Sky trip.
 

Yamaste

Certified Ski Diva
During a spring storm, there the Wildcat access road was blocked for a little while right before the lifts opened because there were three buses headed down at the same time. The first had stopped, so had the other two. All were unloading people. Then the second started sliding sideways towards the first bus. Luckily the last couple people got off and out of the way. It was a slow slide. No damage but those two buses were clearly stuck at that point. Don't know how long it took to move the buses. My friends and I headed up Collins and over to the other side.

That would be quite alarming to see even with a slow slide!

The Adult Mountain Workshop is split into 2-3 groups based on a short ski off right outside Watson's.

That makes a lot of sense. Hope I get the chance to take one next time :smile:
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
That would be quite alarming to see even with a slow slide!
I learned more because a father and son who had gotten off the second bus got in to the Collins line just behind us. Decided to get in line around 9:00 that morning because there was fresh snow. The two of them were just at the door when the bus started moving and the father decided that getting off quickly was the better idea. The sliding bus didn't have far to go so never got going that fast.
 

alison wong

Angel Diva
Any recommendations for affordable places to look would be appreciated.
For affordable slope side lodging at Alta, GMD, Alta Lodge offers dorm rooms at reasonable rates, not sure about Snowpine and Peruvian. Alta does require minimum of 3 nights stay.
No min. stay requirement for GMD, it may offer discount for Ikon / MCP holders if you ask.
@marzNC knows more about lodging at Alta in general.

As for snowbird, more lodging options because it has more high rise buildings. I don't know the rate though.

Depends on the month, probably I'd opt for slope side if I go in mid season because likelihood of road closure maybe higher.
 

bsskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
For affordable slope side lodging at Alta, GMD, Alta Lodge offers dorm rooms at reasonable rates, not sure about Snowpine and Peruvian. Alta does require minimum of 3 nights stay.
No min. stay requirement for GMD, it may offer discount for Ikon / MCP holders if you ask.
@marzNC knows more about lodging at Alta in general.

As for snowbird, more lodging options because it has more high rise buildings. I don't know the rate though.

Depends on the month, probably I'd opt for slope side if I go in mid season because likelihood of road closure maybe higher.
I agree with @alison wong about staying slope side due to road closures. GMD might still have their women’s and men’s dorm room available. Ask when/if you call.
 

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